


Aloeswood

by spinner33



Series: CM - Close to Canon [34]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Daddy Kink, M/M, Macho Male Behavior
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-05
Updated: 2015-12-05
Packaged: 2018-05-05 02:04:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5356835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spinner33/pseuds/spinner33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reid has a violent confrontation with an old adversary.  Hotch takes drastic measures to protect Reid from harm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Can you tell me where you went wrong?” Morgan asked, staring down at Reid, who he had pinned down to the mat on the floor for the twentieth time in the last hour. Reid was breathing hard. His face was flushed. His hair was wildly disarrayed.

“I should have kneed you in the groin as an opening move?” Reid joked quietly.

Morgan wasn’t entirely unmoved by the dark humor – his eyes crinkled and his tight mouth unfurled a small smile. Spencer was trying to keep the situation light, but he was aching from head to toe, and had had about enough humiliation for one day.

But as Fate would often have it, today’s humiliation had apparently only begun.

“If you two pussies are done rolling all over each other, I’ve got a class to conduct.”

The mocking voice belonged to Agent Doug Eberhard, ruler of this portion of the FBI realm. He was the physical training instructor, known primarily for being protective of his personal space and for using his position of power as a means by which he could make inappropriate advances at the prettiest female recruits. Reid tipped his head backwards and saw a sea of legs behind him. So Eberhard had brought his class with him to watch Reid getting thrown around the floor? Beautiful. This morning was getting better and better.

“We’ve got five minutes left on the clock,” Morgan protested, climbing to his feet and attempting to help Reid up as well. Reid stayed on his knees, breathing heavy, rubbing his left wrist, rotating it around. He had gotten the small cast off a week ago, and the wrist was stiff when he over-used it.

“Why don’t you go take a nice long shower together?” Eberhard insisted.

“C'mon, Morgan,” Reid intoned, finally getting to his feet. “We’re cock-blocking Agent Eberhard’s chance to roll around on the trainees.”

Eberhard’s shoulders drew back, and his spine stiffened. There was a small smattering of laughter from a few of the recruits, which only made Eberhard more angry.

“You watch your fucking mouth, Dr. Reid,” he spat in reply. Spencer took a deep breath and scanned the group, holding his ribs on the left side. His anger was rising to the surface.

“It’s as close as he ever gets to pinning down sweet, sticky snatch like that,” Reid replied.

Morgan was stunned for half a second by the vulgar words that had casually tumbled from Reid’s mouth. That half-second was all it took. Eberhard flew at Reid, and they crashed into the mats. Doug backhanded Reid across the mouth and punched him hard in the left half of his chest. The training instructor had one hand around the young doctor’s throat, and the heel of the other hand pressed firmly to the ribs that Spencer had been rubbing seconds before.

“What now, smart mouth?” Eberhard hissed.

“Doug….” Reid rasped, a sickly smile washing over his mouth.

“Any bright ideas how to get out of this one?” Eberhard whispered.

Morgan took a step towards them, but Reid shot him a look that said to stay back. Eberhard pressed against Reid’s ribs, narrowing the space between them.

“It’s beyond me why Morgan is wasting his time and effort on a weak, sniveling bastard like you,” Eberhard mocked. “I should let my trainees work you over for an hour or two. Any one of them could take you. They would throw you around like a rag-doll. Maybe you might learn about self defense if you weren’t being handled with kid gloves by your lover,” Doug added, his voice against Reid’s cheek, verbal poison dripping into Spencer’s ear.

Morgan came another step closer, intent on yanking Eberhard off of Reid.

“Eberhard, you never change, do you? Still using violence to mask your self-doubt because of your lack of physical endowment,” Reid rasped in pain with what little breath he had left. “Mother Nature really cheated you, didn’t she?”

Eberhard raised his fist and slammed it down into Reid’s ribs, eliciting a whimper. Doug made the mistake of pausing to gloat. Morgan took another step closer, wanting desperately to intervene. Reid would never forgive him if he stepped in, Morgan knew, but it was so hard to stand by and do nothing.

“Is that good for you?” Doug whispered. “You like the pain, don’t you?”

Reid flattened his right palm and shot his arm straight up, landing a direct punch with Eberhard’s nose. Blood went everywhere. Doug let go of Reid’s throat in order to put protective hands over his wrecked nose. Spencer crawled backwards by inches, getting halfway out from under Eberhard before the instructor gathered his wits.

Dripping blood like a leaky faucet, Eberhard yanked Reid back under himself and connected two vicious punches into Reid’s ribs. Spencer got a knee up, then drew back a fist. He caught Doug in the nose again – not the strongest punch, but not completely useless. There was a satisfying crunch as his knuckles connected with Doug’s ruined nose. Eberhard flailed backwards, and Reid crawled away an inch or two again. Spencer drew up a foot and slammed Doug in the shoulder, propelling the instructor backwards to the mats. Reid then rolled to his knees and got slowly, unsteadily to his feet.

Eberhard got up in a flash, and he bowled towards Reid, shoulder down, only to find his way blocked by Derek Morgan.

“That’s enough, Eberhard,” Morgan ordered. 

Eberhard growled and tried to get around Morgan, but Derek grabbed him and yanked him upright. He got face to face with the hot-headed agent.

“In case you missed it, you have been shown mercy. You need to pull yourself in check,” Morgan growled. He cast a glance back at Reid. Spencer was breathing hard and fast, looking nauseated.

“Mercy?” Doug snarled through his bloodied face.

“If Reid had chosen to kick you in the face instead of the shoulder, I’d be dialing for an ambulance, so we could dig your nasal bones out of your brain cavity. Maybe I’d be dialing, and maybe I wouldn’t. I think you get my drift,” Morgan replied.

“Actually, sir, if Dr. Reid had kicked Agent Eberhard in the face instead of the shoulder, you wouldn’t have had time to call for help. While the force of a kick to the face might not be enough to drive the nasal bridge into the brain, as is often depicted in fight sequences in movies, a kick to the forehead could have caused irreparable damage. By violently forcing the brain forward and quickly backward, Dr. Reid could have caused tearing to the brain stem, bruising to the occipital lobe, and damage to the frontal lobes as well. In short, it would take one precisely-placed kick, and less than two seconds, to cause permanent brain damage. Calling for medics would be a mute point at that juncture.”

Reid cast an appreciative glance at the young recruit. She was a brunette with glasses, medium height, brown eyes—a plain and mousy young woman. She wasn’t someone that would have caught Morgan’s attention because she was not a beautiful stunner, and she was not the sort to flirt with supervisory agents. But anyone with a brain like that, and a vocabulary to match, would not have slipped Reid’s notice. Morgan was sure Reid knew her.

“As you were, Cadet Davies,” the doctor whispered. “We are certainly not here to cause each other permanent brain damage.”

“Yes, Dr. Reid, but in the field, if an agent’s life is at stake, the situation would have called for a more precise use of appropriate force,” Davies continued. Reid nodded in reply, accepting the polite criticism for what it was – the truth. He took another pain-filled, loud breath before answering.

“No doubt. In the field, an appropriate use of force should always be employed, subject to the situation and the strengths of the field agent. You are here to learn as much about yourselves as what is appropriate to each situation. This situation was a training exercise, and it did not call for a lethal response.”

“Yes, sir,” Davies replied.

“Clean the blood off the mats before you begin,” Reid added wryly, looking down in distaste at his ruined teeshirt. He headed carefully towards the showers with as much dignity as he could muster. Eberhard glared hatefully at Reid as the doctor limped away. Morgan stared at Eberhard, letting a snarl lift the edge of his lip.

“You ever pull that shit again, Agent Eberhard, and my use of force will be both appropriate and lethal. Do I make myself clear?” Morgan growled.

Doug had nothing to say. He had bleached a whiter shade of pale. Morgan realized that Doug was looking past his shoulder. Derek glanced towards the classroom doorway as he walked towards the showers. Aaron Hotchner was standing in the hallway. He had come to collect Morgan and Reid, and he must have walked in on this mess without either of them realizing he was there. Hotch’s face was livid with hate and rage, and his dark eyes were centered on Doug Eberhard.

Eberhard was positively petrified of Hotch.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Squick Warning: Reid uses Daddy Kink in conversation with Hotch at work.

“I promise I wasn’t hovering, and I’m not judging, but I will be conducting Reid’s physical training from here on out,” Hotch murmured to Morgan in the break room. Reid was propped against the far wall, holding an icy bottle of cold water against his left ribcage.

“Conflict of interest,” Reid interjected, opening his eyes and standing away from the wall.

“You take yourself down to the infirmary and have them look at your ribs,” Aaron growled. Spencer waved off Hotch’s concern and moved towards the table.

“I’m fine,” the doctor lied.

“The hell you are,” Hotch countered.

“Maybe you two should talk this out alone,” Morgan suggested.

“I asked Morgan for his help for a reason,” Reid protested. “It’s not Derek’s fault that Eberhard was an ass this morning.”

“Why does he hate you so much?” Morgan asked Reid.

“I failed my last physical test, but Strauss allowed me back in the field anyway,” Reid replied, sitting down at the table with them.

“That’s because Strauss knows we don’t keep you on the BAU team as muscle,” Morgan said.

“It’s got to be more than that,” Hotch shook his head. “This goes beyond being annoyed because Strauss went over his head to clear you for field work. What did you do to Eberhard?”

“He’s never liked me,” Reid offered, taking a sip of water. He picked a red apple up from the table and took a small bite.

“What did you do to him?” Morgan asked. Reid looked at Hotch. Aaron seemed to be waiting for an answer as well.

“I exist,” Reid offered meekly.

“You’ll have to do better than that,” Aaron said. “He’s a homophobe. He’s a barbarian. He’s got an overactive sex drive and an under-performing cock. He doesn’t like anyone who might interfere with his ability to use his FBI post as a means to physically grope as many female cadets as humanly possible.”

“You reported him, didn’t you?” Morgan smiled.

“He made inappropriate advances towards several female cadets in my class, and yes, I did report him. I didn’t just report him. I videotaped him, and then I reported him, and I handed over the videotape as evidence. Several of the cadets reported him. Hundreds of cadets have reported him since he began his tenure. Yet somehow he remains in that same post after all these years. Gideon said it was because the Brass didn’t know where else to put Eberhard that he won’t get the Bureau slapped with a sexual harassment lawsuit. I think it’s because the brass remains an Old Boys Club, and they find it amusing that the training course is only the first of many misogynistic and homophobic obstacles that non-male, non-hetero recruits must endure in order to be allowed into the Bureau. They don’t remove Eberhard because he weeds out the weak and the undesirable. Well, I’m one of the weak, and I got in because of special dispensations, and it makes Eberhard angry every time he sees me. I carry my credentials in spite of his best efforts to prevent me from doing so.”

“Okay….” Morgan nodded. “Did you ever consider maybe that hate goes both ways?”

“I won’t deny that for a second,” Reid conceded. “He’s a knuckle-dragging, evolutionary throw-back, everything I hate in alpha males and more, present company excepted."

“That might explain the past problems between you two,” Hotch murmured. “But it doesn’t explain this morning.”

“The moon is full, and his testosterone levels were higher than normal?” Reid joked.

“Strauss told me about the physical test you failed,” Hotch narrowed his eyes.

“I have failed every test Eberhard ever administered to me. You’ll have to be more specific.”

“The one after the Mariner case,” Hotch said. All the amusement drained from Reid’s face. He looked lost and scared, and Hotch hated himself for bringing up such a painful memory. “What did you do to Eberhard that made him scream like a little girl and refuse to retest you?”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Spencer intoned coolly, taking another bite of apple. He chewed and swallowed, keeping his eyes level with Hotch’s. “For the record, little girls are made of pretty strong stuff. You shouldn’t underestimate them.”

“Reid, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but it’s standard practice to record all tests for training purposes. I’ve seen video of the test that Eberhard administered to you,” Hotch revealed.

“Great. My every mistake, preserved for posterity,” Reid sighed.

“Eberhard jumped the start signal. He grabbed you without warning, slew-footed you backwards to the mat and got on top of you. He was saying something in your ear. You said something back. He screamed and leapt up off of you,” Hotch said. Aaron waited with a certainty that if he held out long enough, if he kept asking, Reid was going to crumble and admit to what he did.

Reid stood up from the table and tossed out the rest of his apple. He took a slow sip of water. He put the bottle aside. He pulled Hotch’s chair gently backwards.

“Reid?” Hotch questioned.

Spencer sat down across Hotch’s thighs, getting face to face with Aaron. He hung one arm on his shoulder, put the other around his neck. He smiled temptingly at his boss and his lover in one.

“Reid?” Hotch whispered. “What are you doing?”

Spencer got nose to nose with Hotch, and then he murmured to him in a low, soft, private voice.

“Eberhard threw me to the mat and mounted me like a two-dollar whore. He said to me, ‘I heard you got lucky in Kansas. You finally found the perfect man for you.’ He was mocking me to my face about what happened. So I did what I had to do.”

“What did you ‘have to do’?” Hotch wondered.

“I wasn’t going to get him off of me using brute force. So I made his flesh crawl.”

“How did you do that?”

Reid cast an eye at cautionary eye over one shoulder at Morgan, but proceeded anyway. He ran all ten fingers through Hotch’s dark hair, nuzzled his ear, and turned on a sensual whisper. “Unhmmm…Daddy, do it again.”

Hotch inhaled sharply, and his eyes got noticeably wider, but to his credit, he held perfectly still. That was a voice Spencer only used in the bedroom. That groan was nothing short of a mating call. Morgan had never heard that voice or that sound before from Reid. Derek’s mouth was hanging open in shock. Reid didn’t withdraw yet. He scooted closer to Hotch’s chest, and ground himself against Aaron’s lap.

“You wanna know why Eberhard hates me? Because I said four words, and profiled his ass so hard he still has butt-burn. I know his dirty secrets – he gets off on being your Daddy, he wants to humiliate you, and he wants to hurt you. If I had to venture a guess, I’d say he was physically abused by his domineering father when he was a boy, and he’s never gotten counseling for the damage this caused him, because men like him don’t believe in counseling. He’s spent his career, he’s spent his life, proving to everyone around him that he’s all might and all man, when deep down inside, the fear of being vulnerable to a man more powerful than he is terrifies him, night and day.”

“Go on,” Hotch whispered.

“If you want to know why he really hates me though, it’s because I breathed hot in his ear, and he got all itchy between the legs. I made him want me – a limp-wristed, cock-sucking deviant.”

“Reid. That’s enough. Get off me,” Hotch ordered.

“I’ll be draped across your desk if you want me,” Spencer whispered in that bedroom voice again. He stood slowly up from Hotch’s lap, gifting Aaron with the perfect, slow-motion view of his crotch as he retrieved his bag and his bottle of water. Reid strode out of the break room without another word, knowing full well both men were watching him walk away. The second Reid was gone, Hotch and Morgan exchanged a meaningful look.

“What?” Hotch replied to the unvoiced question.

Morgan didn’t dare smile. 

“What?” Hotch repeated.

“Guess now I know why he asked me to do his physical training.”

“Why is that?” Hotch growled. Morgan took a sip of soda and gave a small smirk.

“He tops from the bottom, doesn’t he?” 

“What?”

“Hotch, he walks all over you,” Derek whispered, lowering his voice.

“He does not,” Aaron denied softly.

“All this time, we’ve worried you’re bossing him around night and day, but he’s got you so whipped,” Morgan teased tenderly.

“He does not,” Aaron flamed up red.

“Hotch, he gave you a lap dance at work in the break room, and you didn’t try to stop him,” Morgan chuckled. “Is it going to be a while before you can stand?”

Hotch gave Morgan a dark and foreboding glare.

“While we wait, why don’t we talk about Eberhard?” Morgan suggested.

“What about Eberhard?” Hotch growled.

“Why is he so afraid of you?” Morgan asked. Hotch looked both ways, and shrugged his shoulders.

“No idea,” Hotch chirped, giving a blinding smile. “Hopefully I remind him of his father.”


	3. Chapter 3

Reid stepped off the elevator into the BAU bullpen, and was surprised by the sound of applause. He centered his gaze on his desk. Prentiss, JJ, and Garcia were there, all grinning at him. Rossi was standing on the raised platform to the upper offices, and he was the one clapping.

“Nice job, kid,” Dave smiled.

“You better look both ways before crossing the Quad at night,” JJ smirked.

“How did you even….?” Reid asked, shaking his head.

“Eberhard is in Strauss’s office, complaining to her about you,” Garcia said as she rose up from Reid’s chair. Prentiss took him by the tie and pulled him up the steps.

“Come with me. I’m placing you in protective custody, for your own good.”

Prentiss dragged Reid up the ramp, past Rossi, and into Hotch’s office. She pushed him inside, reached around the knob, locked the door, and closed it tight.

Hotch and Morgan popped out of the elevators approximately ten minutes later. The rest of the team had returned to their desks or their offices. Derek went to his desk, and sat down. Prentiss gave him a quick smile, and he nodded back. Hotch got to his office door and turned the handle. He was puzzled to find it locked. He pulled out his keys and opened his door.

“Oh! I thought you were kidding about the desk thing,” Hotch said. Prentiss and Morgan heard Reid give a soft, pain-filled laugh.

“Don’t get excited. I dropped my pen,” Spencer answered from somewhere on the floor. Strauss’s office door opened, and she poked her head out.

“Agent Hotchner, I need you in my office.”

“Ma’am?” Hotch replied from his office door, hoping the way he was standing was masking the view of Reid on the floor on his hands and knees.

“In my office, please.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hotch answered. As Aaron made his way around the platform and towards Assistant Director Strauss’s office, Doug Eberhard emerged, looking angry and embarrassed. It was all Hotch could do not to smile broadly at the bruised, multi-colored, swollen mass of human features that was Eberhard’s face. Knowing that Reid had done all that damage was better than Christmas for Hotch.

“Bring Dr. Reid with you,” Strauss added. Hotch turned back towards his office. Reid was standing at the door, carefully hiking his satchel up onto one shoulder. He looked pale and green around the edges. Hotch motioned for him to come over. Reid nodded in reply.

As Reid approached, Agent Eberhard waited where he was, glaring down at the floor, at Strauss’s shoes, at the approaching Reid, anywhere but at Hotch. When Spencer reached their ensemble, Strauss cleared her throat. Eberhard turned the full brunt of his hateful gaze on Reid. In reply, Spencer held his chin high and stared coldly back at him.

“I’m sorry,” Eberhard blurted, much in the same tone as a malevolent malediction that he hoped might curve Reid’s spine or give him in-grown toenails. Hotch turned and stared in amazement at Strauss in the awkward silence between Reid and Eberhard.

“Dr. Reid, the correct response would be ‘apology accepted’ and ‘I’m sorry as well’,” the assistant director murmured.

“Do you need an ice pack?” Reid rasped. Doug frowned at him, and Spencer shrugged one shoulder. “Apology accepted,” he added slowly.

“There. Now we can all be friends and colleagues again. Agent Eberhard, give my regards to Assistant Director Winslow,” Strauss smiled, patting Doug’s back firmly to signal him that he was free to leave.

“Yes, ma’am,” Eberhard replied, loping away towards the bank of elevators.

“You two, in my office,” Strauss ordered, turning on one heel. Hotch and Reid followed her. When she pointed to the two chairs in front of her desk, the two men sat down. Reid did so with more than a little difficulty.

“When you leave my office, Dr. Reid, I expect you will make your way down to the infirmary, and either confirm or deny Agent Eberhard’s suspicion that he broke your ribs this morning.”

“No need to confirm,” Reid whispered in reply. 

“Why did you not immediately report to Dr. Stokes?”

Reid sulked. Strauss barely managed to contain her desire to roll her eyes. Why was it that supervising young male agents always left her feeling like a camp counselor or an over-wrought mother? She found herself wishing she could send Reid to his room without dinner and take away his phone privileges. Usually Reid was no trouble at all in comparison with his peers, but when he decided to act out, he went full-bore.

“Dr. Reid?”

“I didn’t want to give Eberhard the satisfaction,” Spencer admitted.

“You did not give Eberhard any satisfaction. What you gave him was a dislocated clavicle, and a nose broken in two places, and a week of sick leave, which he will no doubt spend lying on his sofa, fantasizing about different ways he can exact his revenge on you for humiliating him in front of his class of cadets this morning.”

Hotch flared up at the words.

“Eberhard is the one who attacked Reid,” Hotch defended. 

“After Reid verbally provoked Eberhard.”

“Only after Eberhard insulted both of my agents,” Hotch growled.

“Be that as it may,” Strauss said, “I expect your agents to be able to stomach a few insults from the likes of Eberhard without flying off the handle.”

Erin did not miss the look that Reid gave Hotch. Aaron had seen a lot more of the confrontation that Spencer realized, clearly, and Reid was not comfortable with that.

“It was Agent Eberhard who decided to escalate from verbal abuse to physical violence,” Reid interrupted.

“After you accused him of inappropriate behavior with the female cadets.”

“Which you know as well as I do is true!” Reid replied hotly.

“Eberhard’s inappropriate behavior aside, I expect better behavior from you, Dr. Reid. You should be able to turn the other cheek and not lose your temper. I hope you learned something from this morning, Spencer.”

“Yes, I learned that next time I need to take down Agent Eberhard, I should use a high-powered rifle from a safe distance,” Reid replied with a cold smirk. Strauss choked.

“He’s joking,” Hotch blurted.

“Agent Hotchner, I know he’s joking,” Strauss said, putting her shocked look under a calm veneer once again. “You are much more likely to go ‘LDSK’. Not Dr. Reid. No, he’s more likely to use letter bombs, poison darts, super glue – cruel and unusual methods of torture.“

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that,” Reid murmured. “It was inappropriate and injudicious.”

Hotch gave Reid a look that said, ‘You damned right it was’, and Spencer blushed dark red.

“If it’s any consolation, Dr. Reid, you aren’t the first member of the Bureau who has contemplated picking Eberhard off from a safe distance with a firearm. I count myself among that number. In the meantime, I am ordering you to report to the infirmary at once,” Strauss said. 

“Ma’am, I’m fine.”

“Dr. Reid, you’re breathing like an 80-year-old emphysema patient. Take yourself to the infirmary. Do not make me repeat myself.”

Reid pulled himself slowly up from the chair and headed for the door without further protest. After he left, Strauss picked up her phone.

“Dr. Stokes? Erin Strauss. If Dr. Reid has not arrived at the infirmary in the next ten minutes, you have my permission to come up here and collect him, by whatever means you deem appropriate. Is that clear? Once you’ve examined him, call me back with your assessment of his condition. Thank you, Mindy. Say hello to John.”


	4. Chapter 4

Strauss hung up the phone and faced Hotch.

“Agent Hotchner, pending Dr. Stokes’ assessment, Dr. Reid is hereby limited to desk duty until further notice. I will of course concur with whatever Dr. Strokes recommends. I suspect her directive will involve light duty and no field work.”

“Are you sure you want Dr. Reid prowling around the bullpen with nothing to do while the rest of us are out in the field?” Hotch asked. “Remember how much fun he was last time?”

“All right. Point taken. If the BAU team travels, Dr. Reid may travel with you, as long as it is understood you need to keep him out of harm’s way. Aaron, for God’s sake, keep him out of the physical training rooms. I don’t want Eberhard cornering him in a dark corridor.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hotch replied. Erin Strauss folded her hands together and studied Hotch.

“Personally, I blame you for all this sudden and unnecessary machismo on his part. Were you and Morgan teasing him again? Please make it clear to Dr. Reid that you value him for his mind, not his physical prowess, before he gets himself hurt.”

“I will try,” Hotch assured her grimly, and not without a hint of sarcasm, which Erin found remotely amusing.

“There are a number of people in the Bureau who feel Dr. Reid is too valuable an asset to risk in the field. When things like this happen, it’s hard not to agree, and this wasn’t even in the field. It was inside the Quad itself. I’m getting pressured constantly to find a more suitable position for him, one where he isn’t going to be injured so often. Rabovsky in Cryptology? Puts in a request every other week for Dr. Reid to be transferred to her department. Gives me hundreds of reasons why Reid would be better suited to her realm. Rabovsky will find a way. Watch out.”

“Dr. Reid is invaluable to my team,” Hotch stressed, making a mental note to see what he could find out about Rabovsky in Cryptology. Strauss continued to watch Hotch, and slowly, one brow arched higher than the other. She picked up a pen, and reached for a pad of paper.

“I didn’t realize you were also a witness to the events this morning. I assume you would like to give me your view of what took place so I can include it in my report?” she ventured, tapping the pen tip to the page and waiting.

“I didn’t see everything that happened. I don’t feel I have anything new to add to the narrative,” Hotch replied. Strauss stopped tapping her pen.

“Cadet Davies was the most helpful, actually. I have spoken at length with Agent Eberhard, and I believe he has come to understand that if he ever again attacks a fellow agent in the manner which several witnesses have already described, that he will very likely lose his protected position, if not his credentials. He does not have carte blanche to inflict injury and pain at will, no matter who tells him how short his manhood is.”

“You know he’s not going to simply let this slide. Eberhard is going to bide his time until there is a place with no witnesses.”

“More than likely, which is all the more reason why you need to keep Reid out of the training rooms. Is Glen still in charge of his security outside of Quantico?”

“Glen?”

“General Scott,” Strauss corrected herself. 

“Yes,” Hotch replied.

“I’ll have a talk with him, warn him to be on the alert.” 

“I didn’t realize you knew General Scott.”

“We go way back,” Erin murmured, without getting specific. 

“Thank you for looking after Reid.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Agent Hotchner. I want you to understand that matters are under control.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“There is no need for further action or reaction. I know your team is like your family, and you take a certain amount of pride in protecting your team, particularly Dr. Reid. But I consider this matter between Dr. Reid and Agent Eberhard to be settled.”

“I understand. You consider this matter settled,” Hotch said much too quickly. He shouldn’t have smiled either.

“Agent Hotchner, let me be blunt. No harm will come to Doug Eberhard, on the course, in the Quad, in the field, in the streets, in his backyard, in his bed, in his church… in short, anywhere.”

“Ma’am?”

“Don’t pretend innocence. It does not become you.” 

“I don’t have any control over Doug Eberhard’s safety. Accidents happen all the time. Grisly accidents,” Hotch teased out the words, his deep brown eyes conveying the darkest depths of his soul.

“Agent Hotchner.”

Aaron gave Strauss a face so innocent that she even believed him for a second or two.

“Don’t worry. I won’t take matters into my own hands,” he promised.

“Agent Hotchner, neither you nor any member of your team will attempt to fold, spindle, mutilate, or otherwise mangle Doug Eberhard. You will not shoot, stab, harass, stalk, annoy, pester, wound, poison, dismember, decapitate, exsanguinate, or otherwise cause harm to befall Doug Eberhard. You will not unleash any supernatural creatures on Doug Eberhard, in the unlikely but not impossible event that any member of your team stumbles upon an ancient scroll, a locked book, a genie in a lamp, or other magical denizen with the ability to do him harm. Have I covered every angle yet?”

“Quite probably, yes,” Hotch agreed.

“I cannot have my subordinate agents carrying out a personal vendetta against fellow agents in other departments. That will only lead to chaos in the Quad. Order and discipline must be maintained. I’ll be very displeased if your team disobeys me in this matter.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Make my orders clear to your team. Hopefully, the BAU will get a nice, complicated, messy case, and you’ll be out in the field for a month or two. Then Dr. Reid and Agent Eberhard will have a time away from each other, and this will all blow over.”

“We can only hope,” Hotch murmured, still frowning. To his surprise, Erin’s mouth hitched up on both sides with a smile.

“Dismissed,” she murmured, pointing to the door.

“Yes, ma’am,” Hotch nodded, knowing when it was time to make an exit.

“No thumb-screws either,” Erin called out. Strauss smiled when she heard Hotch mutter, 

“Darn.”


	5. Chapter 5

When Hotch finally got home that night, he expected to find Spencer already in bed asleep. Or perhaps curled up on the divan in front of a sci-fi marathon. He did not expect to pull up into the driveway and find Morgan’s vehicle parked in front of the garage. Morgan must have driven Reid home after Spencer returned from the infirmary. Hotch hadn’t seen Reid since the meeting in Strauss’s office that morning.

Aaron walked through the kitchen door instead of the front door. Morgan was striding quickly for the portal. He saw Hotch and looked for a moment like he wanted to hug him.

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” Derek sighed with relief.

Hotch’s first concern of course was that something had happened to Reid, that Dr. Stokes’ assessment had been more serious than first thought.

“Where’s….” he began to ask. Spencer came swaying into the kitchen, wrapped his arms around Hotch, and greeted him with a particularly-sensual kiss. Hotch pulled slowly back and took a good look at Spencer’s wide-blown pupils and lazy-sweet smile.

“…so happy to see you….mmmm….” Spencer slurred softly, nestling tight into his arms. Hotch cocked a brow at Morgan over Reid’s shoulder.

“Whatever Dr. Stokes gave him for the pain has him high as a kite,” Morgan explained.

"Non-narcotic, surely?" Hotch hoped. 

"No doubt," Morgan agreed.

“Where’s…” Hotch began to ask a second question.

“Jack is asleep. We had dinner and did homework, and then it was time for bed,” Morgan replied.

“Yes…Jack…. I read to him….” Spencer babbled.

Morgan patted Reid on the back, and Spencer swayed again. “I’m leaving now. You’re in good hands. Behave yourself.”

“….bye… night….. love you….” Spencer whispered, tucking his head on Morgan’s shoulder for a moment. Derek patted him on top of the head.

“Good night,” Derek said, ducking out the door and closing it behind himself. Hotch supported Reid on one shoulder and turned off the porch light when he was sure that Morgan was safely gone.

“Time for bed,” Hotch said, guiding Reid towards the kitchen doorway. Reid’s eyes lit up. Hotch turned off the kitchen light.

“Bed? Promise?” Spencer asked softly against his cheek, hands venturing south to gently fondle Hotch.

“No. There will be none of that for you tonight,” Hotch scolded him in a stern whisper.

“But, Hotchness….why not?” 

“You were very naughty today.”

“What did I do?” Reid asked, looking up at Hotch through long lashes, putting on a very sad face. Aaron lifted his chin and touched his nose with a tiny kiss.

“You are not, under any circumstances, allowed to sit in my lap when we are at work. Not ever. Is that clear?”

“But…..” Reid whined.

“No. I couldn’t stand up for ten minutes, all the while, Morgan watching me, watching you, watching us,” Aaron explained, patting Reid on the rump.

“But….but….but, Hotch….”

“No. You were bad. You are going to bed without tonight. Maybe that will make you think about…..Spencer….”

A playful giggle sounded from somewhere near Hotch’s waist as Spencer melted towards the floor. Slender fingers were working their way into his clothes. Hotch caught those slim hands and sat down on the floor, pulling Reid close, turning him around, holding onto both his hands.

“I said no. I meant no. You were naughty. I am punishing you.”

“Oh…mmm…yes….punish me…yes…” Spencer purred, tilting his head back against Hotch’s shoulder.

“No.”

Reid sat up and away from Hotch. Spencer understood finally, and he was terribly mad. He climbed unsteadily to his feet, and marched away. Hotch watched his lover’s unsteady gait and hurried to follow, knowing he should not let him climb the stairs unassisted. Aaron reached the stairs before Reid, and put an arm around Spencer’s slender waist.

“What did Dr. Stokes say?”

“Strauss didn’t tell you?” Reid snapped at him. 

“No, she did not.”

Reid pouted as they walked up the staircase. He paused more than once on the steps, finding himself unable to decide which foot to put up and which to hold back.

“Jesus Christ, what did Stokes give you?” Hotch worried, locking his arm on Spencer’s waist. 

Reid sat down on the top of the stairs and put an arm around Hotch’s knees.

“Please?” he whispered. “…Hotch?.....I’ll behave. I promise I will. I ….I won’t do it again…not at work…I promise….been waiting all night for you….Derek wouldn’t….”

“Come on,” Hotch whispered, picking Reid up and helping him to his feet. Derek wouldn’t what? Had Reid been flirting with Morgan before Hotch got home? Hotch silenced Reid’s rambling words with a gentle kiss. “Can you even…. I mean… should you be…. What did the doctor give you? What did she say?”

“No field work. Light duty for MONTHS,” Reid wailed, heart-broken.

Hotch stifled a smile at Spencer’s tone.

“….Hotch…..please…… say yes…. I want you…. I need you…. I love you….” Reid stretched out the vowel endings, sounding like a small puppy about to howl in despair at the moon.

“Go get in bed, and behave yourself,” Hotch whispered to him, kissing his cheek and guiding him towards their bedroom. Aaron went off towards the bathroom himself, washing his face, brushing his teeth, finally kicking off his shoes and loosening his tie. He returned, reached for the light panel to turn off the dining room light, and also the hallway light.

Hotch entered their dimly-lit bedroom, silhouetted by the reflection from the sensor light that faced the garage. A night creature must have caused the sensor to light up. Reid was sitting on top of the covers, wrapped up in the navy blue sheets. He was smiling faintly at Hotch, waiting.

“Under the covers,” Hotch ordered him, going towards the dresser, and searching for clean pajamas, which he set on the top of the dresser. On the bed, Reid watched him with predatory eyes.

“No dinner for you?” Spencer asked, watching Hotch pour himself a finger or two of scotch.

“Not hungry,” Aaron answered. He had had a sandwich around seven before tackling another pile of paperwork, and the quick meal had landed on his stomach like  
concrete. That had been three hours ago.

Reid peeled off his teeshirt, wincing at the movement. Hotch had a swallow of liquor in his mouth, and he nearly spit it out when he saw the black and blue swollen mass of bruises on Spencer’s left side. The injury was visible even in the dim light. Hotch flipped on one of the bedside lamps and studied Reid. Spencer had other bruises and bumps besides, faint ones, probably from the training with Morgan, but the damage to his ribs was startling.

“That son of bitch. I’m going to wring his fucking neck the next time I see him,” Hotch growled venomously.

Reid sat up straighter. It was clear that Aaron’s words had had a two-fold effect on Spencer – making him melt because of how protective Hotch was being, but also turning him on, hearing harsh, burning syllables on Hotch’s lips. Spencer slid to the edge of the bed and peeled out of his sweatpants and boxers, then hid his nakedness in the dark blue sheets. He nestled against Hotch’s side, hiding his face in Aaron’s stomach as Hotch wrapped an arm around him.

“Spencer, I don’t want you anywhere near the physical training room, ever again. Is that clear?” Aaron commanded firmly, tracing the fresh scar on Reid’s chin from where he had had stitches only three weeks ago.

Spencer nodded obediently.

“Any other physical training you want to learn, I will teach you, here, privately, where no one is going to mock you for wanting to better yourself. Where no one is going to hurt you, not unless you want me to,” Aaron whispered, taking another gulp of scotch. Hotch set his shot glass on the table with a heavy thump. He turned out the lamp once more, and pressed their lips together. Spencer moaned harshly in reply, opening his mouth willingly to Aaron’s probing tongue. When Hotch pulled away from the kiss, Reid whined with disappointment.

“…don’t stop…” he begged, hands clutching Aaron’s dress shirt. Hotch responded with a tiny chuckle. Aaron’s hands roamed around the drawer of one of the bedside tables while he kept Reid’s mouth busy with more kisses. The second he broke away though, Reid began to babble again.

“I’m sorry I was bad. I won’t be bad again. I’ll be good….. so good…. you’ll see….” Spencer pleaded.

“Shhh,” Hotch soothed, returning to the bed. “Lie back. Try not to move around. Okay?”

“….Hotch….mmmm…” Spencer whispered, panting heavily.

“Shhhh…” Hotch whispered back, sliding one slickened finger gently inside Spencer, watching as the young man’s features blossomed with growing desire. He opened his legs trustingly to Hotch. Aaron added another finger, and Spencer began to buck against his hand. “I said don’t move. You’re going to hurt yourself. Lie still. Close your eyes. Let me take care of you.”

“…..love you….. love you….” Spencer breathed, eyes closed, mouth open.

Hotch smiled indulgently at Reid, and moved up on the bed. He nestled in beside Spencer, nuzzling his lashes as he curved his fingers carefully inward.

“….mmmmmuhnnnnn….” Spencer groaned. Warm breath tickled against Hotch’s cheek. Reid curled his arms around Aaron’s shoulders. “Hotch….. mmmm….. yes…. please….. more….”

Aaron kissed his way down Spencer’s chest, nuzzling, licking, sucking. Spencer’s hips were rocking with each internal stroke. His fingers slipped and clutched in Aaron’s hair. Reid was moaning wantonly, noisily. Hotch nosed Reid’s erection, licked the head gently, and had to suppress a chuckle when Reid hissed, and his bony knees collided with Aaron’s shoulders on both sides.

Hotch eased Reid’s thighs open again, and continued to lick and tease his sex, blowing air in thin streams before licking again. Aaron’s own chuckle and Reid’s sensual vocalizations masked the patter of soft shoes on the wooden floors. Hotch licked up and down, and finally pulled Reid into his mouth, sucking and slurping as Spencer’s cries of approval rose louder, hips rocking, thighs quivering.

Hotch stopped for half a second, because again he thought he had heard footsteps, but when he cast an eye towards the open bedroom door, no one was there. He returned happily to the task at hand. Perhaps the old house was settling. Reid was beginning to babble again – a sure sign he was close to the edge. Spencer whined piteously when Hotch paused for another second or two, removed his fingers, stopped sucking him off.

“Come here,” Hotch soothed, undoing his belt and trousers, releasing his aching cock, lowering his trousers to his thighs. Spencer’s long legs locked tight behind Hotch’s hips as Aaron slid inside him and began to thrust as gently and carefully as his need allowed. They found a comfortable, slow rhythm, but Hotch winced inwardly, and he hoped he wasn’t causing any further damage with this. 

Maybe Cryptology wouldn’t be a bad place, Aaron contemplated, as he nosed and kissed Spencer’s ear. Maybe Reid would be safer there – ensconced in a small, protected world of puzzles and codes and secret hidden plots. They moved together in a familiar manner, as Spencer babbled syllables and words against Hotch’s ear.

“….love you…. mmmm…. Hotch….oh….Hotch…….. there…. please….. yes….. “

Reid panted against Hotch’s cheek, nipped at his neck, sucked on his shoulder. Aaron watched Reid’s face, eyes closed tight, and thought about how close to death Spencer had come at the hands of Mariner last summer, thought about how devastated he had been by the attack. Hotch had a horrible premonition – what if Eberhard got it in his head to attack Reid the way Mariner had?

Reid tossed his head back and cried out a long syllable of release that Aaron was terrified would wake Jack. Wet warmth soaked both their bellies – a familiar, sticky, musky sweetness. In spite of his dazed state, Reid seemed to have realized how loud he had been. His eyes opened wide, and his face filled with surprise and embarrassment. He stifled himself, putting his mouth against Hotch’s shoulder again. Hotch shuddered as the memories continued in his mind – holding Spencer close to his chest while standing under the shower, letting the water wash away the pain and the blood and the fear after Mariner’s attack.

Spencer bit down on Hotch to keep himself quiet, and jarred Aaron back to reality. Hotch nuzzled Reid’s cheek to reassure him, and then continued to thrust towards his own release, blocking all thoughts out of his mind except for his need to protect Reid, no matter what it might take.


	6. Chapter 6

Epilogue

 

“Agent Hotchner?”

Aaron put down his coffee mug and stood up as the blonde touched him on the shoulder and motioned to the empty spot at his small table for two.

“May I join you?”

“Please do,” Hotch said, standing up, straightening his tie. “I don’t have a lot of time. Thank you for meeting with me, Agent Rabovsky.”

“Please, call me Bernie. I have to say, I was more than a little nervous when I got your email,” she said, pushing back a swath of hair and motioning to the waitress. “Coffee only, please, thank you.”

“Why nervous?”

“Surely Director Strauss has told you about my constant requests. To put it bluntly, I’ve been trying to poach your genius from you for some time. I told myself if I got here and you weren’t already seated, that I wasn’t going to cross in front of any grassy knolls on the way back to the office.”

Hotch caught himself smiling and laughing at the remark. Rabovsky poured a packet of sugar into her coffee and smiled at him. She reminded Hotch of Cece Hillenbrand in many respects. Rabovsky was a smart woman with a sharp mind and a sharp tongue, and she was attractive, maybe not as striking as Cece was, but Hotch found himself wondering about her, almost wanting her. He liked Bernie. He liked her smile. She had nice eyes – a shade of cornflower blue that reminded Hotch of Midwestern summer skies.

Hotch let his eyes trace over Rabovsky, and his blood chilled at the concern that Reid might find her attractive as well. Knowing Reid’s desperate need for approval from authority figures, and his tendency to crawl into bed with authority figures, was it a mistake for Hotch to be here, doing what he was doing, plotting what he was plotting?

“So here you are, and you’re not holding a high-powered rifle. I must be safe, at least for the moment,” Rabovsky said.

“Strauss did tell me about your requests for help from Dr. Reid.”

“Ah,” Rabovsky sighed, taking a sip of coffee. She set her cup down, and Hotch watched her hands, with bitten nails and chipped beige polish. It was with great relief that he spotted she was wearing a wedding ring, coupled with another ring that he knew marked at least five anniversaries. His smile returned.

“As long as your requests don’t interfere with the BAU cases that we’re working, you may approach Reid whenever you need his help. He would be flattered that you think highly enough of his work to ask for his expertise, and he would no doubt enjoy any challenge you put before him.”

Rabovsky took another sip of coffee and narrowed her eyes at Hotch.

“That’s it? I have your permission to contact Dr. Reid. What’s the catch? It can’t be as easy as that.”

“It’s not. I do expect something in return.”

“Ah, we get to the meat of the matter. Well then. Out with it. At what price are you willing to share Dr. Reid?”

“That is exactly the meat of the matter. I am NOT willing to share Dr. Reid,” Hotch murmured, lowering his voice. Bernie smiled again, sly and wicked.

“So the rumors are true?” she whispered, lowering her voice as well.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

“You and Reid really are playing house. Don’t worry. I promise I am only interested in Dr. Reid’s brain. I am very happily married, Agent Hotchner.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“That’s it? As long as I don’t ruffle under Dr. Reid’s sweater vests, I can request his help whenever I need it?”

“As simple as that, yes,” Hotch nodded.

“Aren’t you afraid he’ll grow to like Cryptology too much? It can be very seductive in its own right – all those delicious mysteries lying around, waiting to be solved. What if your genius eventually decides he’d rather solve puzzles than chase serial killers?”

“I’m not worried about that,” Hotch smiled back.

“Mmm. If I were you, I would be,” Rabovsky countered. She studied Hotch for a moment, and her eyes filled with concern. “Unless that’s exactly what you’re hoping for?”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Aaron lied, hiding in his coffee. Bernie nodded, sympathy in her face.

“Yeah. Okay. I understand. Shall we shake on it? Before you come to your senses?”

Hotch quickly gave her his hand, and she shook his meaty paw with great gentleness.

“I will be very careful with Dr. Reid. And this conversation won’t ever come up,” Bernie said. Hotch nodded in reply, and they both emptied their mugs. “You ready to head back to the Quantico?” she asked, standing up.

“No. I’m headed out to the airstrip. A case in Colorado.”

“Taking Reid with you?” Rabovsky asked, eyes glittering hungrily.

“Baby steps, Bernie. Baby steps. If you lay down a tempting trail, Reid will come begging to you. No matter my good intentions, this is going to have to be something that Spencer wants, or it’s not going to happen. It won’t happen right away either. But if we’re both patient, I'm sure it will all work out in the end,” Hotch murmured, leaving money on the table for the coffee and tip.

“Understood. Thank you. Good luck in Colorado,” Rabovsky called as Hotch hurried away.


End file.
